Feed-regulator for coffee, spice mills, and the like.



P; RUNKEL. FEED REGULATOR FOR COFFEE, SPICE MILLS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19, 1911.

1,076,1 53. Patented Oct. 21, 1913-.

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cOLUMBn} PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

PETER BUNKEL, NEUWIED, GERMANY.

FEED-REGULATOR FOR COFFEE, SPICE MILLS, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Application filed October 19, 1911. Serial No. 655,551.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER RUNKEL, mer-- chant, a subject of the King of Prussia and German Emperor, residing at Neuwied-onthe-Rhine, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Regulators for Coffee, Spice Mills, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hoppers for coffee, spice-mills or the like and has for its object a feed-regulator for hoppers of this kind, the new arrangement being such that the hopper has a vertical partition forming two chambers or compartments therein; and pivoted to the lower end of said partition is a valve or fiap which, on being turned about its fulcrum by means of a handle arranged at the outside of the hopper, can be so adjusted as either to close at the bottom completely or but partially either one of the two chambers or compartments formed by said vertical partition. Thus, when one of the two chambers or compartments is completely closed, only one material, for example coflee, contained in the other chamber or compartment is fed by the action of its own weight to the grinding mill. If, however, said valve or flap is only partially closed, 2'. e. to a greater or smaller extent, two different materials, for example coffee and a coffee surrogate contained separately in said two chambers or compartments will be fed at once, in the desired mutual proportion depending on the position of the valve or flap with regard to said grinding mill. Further, according to the present invention said pivoted valve or flap is provided at its lower end with serrations or cutting projections adapted to contact with, and tocrush, material passing between the edges of said serrationsor cut ting projections and the outer wall of said hopper. By this arrangement the objection is remedied, which consists therein that, when coarse-grained or similar material is to be ground and the position of the valve or flap needs to be adjusted or regulated accordingly, it often happens that, on account of the resistance offered by the material squeezed between the valve or flap and the wall of the hopper, the valve or flap cannot be displaced without a relatively great effort upon the handle provided for the adjustment of said valve or flap having to be exerted. Now, owing to the present arrangement, said material squeezed between the valve or flap and the wall of the hopper is very easily crushed or comminuted by the serrations or cutting projections of said valve or flap.

The accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification represents an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front view of the device, Fig. 2 a side-view, Fig. 3 a section on line BB of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 a plan of Fig. 2.

The preferred form of a feed-regulator for a mixing-mill for coffee, spice or the like comprises a reservoir or hopper a divided into two chambers or compartments by a vertical partition 6; c is the grinding mill. Over said grinding-mill c a valve or flap 6 is fitted on an axle (Z, by means of which either chamber or compartment of the reservoir or hopper a can be more or less closed for regulating the feed, 2'. 6. producing different mixtures. To the axle d a handle f is attached. A spring h serves by means of its tension to maintain the valve or flap 6 in any adjusted position. Said valve or flap e is toothed or sharpened at its free edge, sothat by means of the teeth, serrations or cutting projections, on the handle f being turned, any material, which, while being ground, gets in front of the valve or flap, will be crushed, whereby the tight closing of the valve or flap is rendered possible. By means of a scale 9 arranged below the handle f, the proportion of the mixture may be indicated.

Under the grinding-mill 0 is located the receiver or collector s for the final mixture.

Should the handle f be turned in the direction is, the valve or fiap (4 assumes a position Z, as shown in Fig. 1 in dotted lines,

and the compartment on that side of the reservoir or hopper a is closed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is A hopper having a vertical partition forming chambers therein and a valve piv- In testimony whereof I afiixed my signaoted at its upper end to the lower end of ture in presence of two Witnesses. said partition and proyid ed its lower end PETER RUNKEL with serrations or cutting PlOJGCtlOIlS adapt ed to contact with, and to crush, material Witnesses:

passing from said chambers between said RUPERT FLEISCH, edge and the outer wall of said hopper. PETER MEFFERT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. 

